A 15-year-old boy has been identified as the city of Lompoc’s latest homicide victim.
Pablo Sixto was killed late Friday night in a shooting believed to be related to gang activity, Lompoc police Cpl. Chuck Scott said.
Personnel from the Lompoc Fire and Police Departments responded to the 700 block of North E Street for a report of a shooting at 9 p.m. Friday.
Scott said no arrests had been made as of Monday afternoon, but detectives were continuing to pursue leads to identify those responsible for the fatal shooting.
Investigators say the killing appeared to be related to gang activity, with Sixto allegedly tied to the F Street gang.
A GoFundMe to help with Sixto’s funeral expenses can be found by clicking here.
On the fundraising page, a relative says “Pablo was always the life of the party, and shined up every room with his bright smile. Pablo will be loved and missed forever.”
This was the second gang-related shooting in Lompoc within two weeks, and the city’s fourth homicide in 2020.
On July 27, at approximately 8 p.m., police and other emergency personnel responded to the area of West Chestnut Avenue and North O Street, where they found a shooting victim.
He was identified as Francisco Garcia, 30, of Lompoc.
Police later announced that one adult and three juveniles had been arrested in connection with the homicide.
They had not been charged as of Monday afternoon.
While police believe that the shooting stemmed from gang activity, they say the victim in that case was not specifically targeted, and did not have ties to a criminal street gang.
The city’s second homicide of the year occurred on March 25, when Sarah Stoffle, 18, was found with a fatal gunshot wound.
Officers were dispatched to a home on the 300 block of North Y Street on a report of an unresponsive female and found Stoffle.
Police arrested her boyfriend, Brenden Terry, 20, of Lompoc, on suspicion of murder, and a second man for having a role as an accomplice.
The city’s first homicide occurred in February, when Lompoc police were dispatched to the 600 block of North Fourth Street for what initially was reported to be a stabbing.
Bobby Joel Contreras, 39, was found dead inside a residence shortly after 3 p.m. on Feb. 9.
Investigators later determined Contreras had been shot. No suspects have been arrested in the slaying.
Anyone with information about any of the homicides is asked to call the Lompoc police at 805.736.2341.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.